Middle East Studies Association

Saudi Arabia

February 16, 2018
Committee on Academic Freedom

New emergency decrees (KHK) 695 and 696

Letter to PM Yıldırım and President Erdoğan concerning the two new emergency decrees (KHK) 695 and 696 issued on 24 December 2017 in the Official Gazette, the first of which terminates the positions of 105 academic personnel from 36 universities and the second of which provides legal immunity to civilians who engage in violence under certain circumstances.Başbakan Yıldırım ve Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan'a hitaben, 24 Aralık 2017'de Resmi Gazete'de yayınlanarak 36 üniversitede 105 akademisyenin görevine son veren 694 sayılı Kanun Hükmünde Kararname (KHK) ve bazı eylemlere şiddet yoluyla müdahale eden sivillerin cezai sorumluluğunun kaldırılmasını öngören 696 sayılı KHK hakkında yazılmış mektup.

February 08, 2018
Committee on Academic Freedom

Fourth Letter on behalf of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, charged with crimes against state security

Latest letter on behalf of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, charged with crimes against state security, urging Iranian authorities to repeal his death sentence.

December 21, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Alarm over Iranian Supreme Court upholding capital sentence of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali on charges of espionage

Letter to Iranian authorities expressing alarm over the Supreme Court’s upholding of the capital sentence of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali on charges of espionage.

December 13, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Issuance of an arrest warrant against Professor Henri Barkey

Letter to PM Yıldırım concerning the issuance of an arrest warrant against Professor Henri Barkey.Başbakan Yıldırım'a hitaben, Henri Barkey hakkında çıkan yakalama kararı hakkında yazılmış mektup.

November 13, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Attacks on academic advisors of Giulio Regeni

Letter regarding attacks in the Italian press on Prof. Maha Abdelrahman related to the death of PhD student Giulio Regeni.

November 08, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Letter to Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray

Letter to Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray questioning Kenneth L. Marcus' fitness to serve as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education

November 02, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

New York University Response to Oct 27 Letter

NYU responds to letter sent to President Andrew Hamilton asking that the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) not be permitted to participate in the Naturejobs Career Expo sponsored by NYU because of its role in the repression of Turkish academics.

October 27, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Urging NYU to not allow TUBITAK to participate in Naturejobs Career Expo

Please see our letter to NYU President Andrew Hamilton asking that the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) not be permitted to participate in the Naturejobs Career Expo sponsored by NYU because of its role in the repression of Turkish academics.

October 25, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Urgent appeal to overturn conviction of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali

Letter to Iranian authorities expressing alarm over the capital sentence of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali on charges of espionage.

October 19, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Recent conviction and sentence of Ismail Serageldin

Letter to Egyptian authorities expressing dismay over the recent conviction and sentence of Ismail Serageldin, Librarian Emeritus of the Library of Alexandria.

October 17, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

New indictment issued against Peace Petition Signatories

Letter to PM Yıldırım and President Erdoğan concerning a new indictment issued against Peace Petition signatories at Istanbul universities who now face 7.5 years in prison, if convicted.

October 16, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Posters on UC Irvine campus accusing faculty and students

Letter calling on the chancellor of the University of California, Irvine, to take action in response to the posters put up on campus accusing certain faculty and students of being "terrorist supporters”.

October 06, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Denial of security clearance and visas to two NYU professors scheduled to teach classes at NYU Abu Dhab

Letter to UAE authorities to protest the denial of security clearance and visas to two NYU professors scheduled to teach classes at NYU Abu Dhabi

October 02, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

UAE’s denial of visas to two NYU professors.

Letter to the president of NYU regarding the UAE's denial of visas to two NYU professors

- Interventions

September 15, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Council of Higher Education preventing scholars from participating in a conference on the Armenian Genocide

Letter regarding the Council of Higher Education preventing scholars from participating in a conference on the Armenian Genocide.

September 15, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Imprisoned scholar and activist Khalil al-Halwachi

Letter to the King of Bahrain urging the release of imprisoned scholar and activist Khalil al-Halwachi who has appealed his conviction and sentencing and will appear in court on September 18.

September 13, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

More terminations and displacement for Turkish academics

Letter to PM Yıldırım and President Erdoğan concerning the two new emergency decrees (KHK) 693 and 694 issued on 25 August 2017 in the Official Gazette, the first of which terminates the positions of 120 academic personnel from 27 universities and the second of which creates the framework for forcibly transferring academics restored to their positions following earlier purges to universities other than those where they originally held positions prior to their dismissals.

July 31, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Termination of 302 academic personnel in 50 universities (KHK 692)

Letter to PM Yıldırım and President Erdoğan concerning the new emergency decree (KHK) 692 issued on 14 July 2017 at the Official Gazette, that terminated 302 academic personnel in 50 universities.

July 26, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Sentencing of Nabeel Rajab to two years imprisonment

Letter to King of Bahrain to protest sentencing of human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, about whom CAFMENA has written several times, to two years' imprisonment, as well as the conditions of his detention.

July 18, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Egypt’s deportation of Ulghur students to China

Letter to Egyptian authorities protesting Egypt's deportation of Uighur students to China.

July 11, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Response by SFSU President Wong to June 29 Letter

June 29, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Denial of Political Asylum for Radwan Ziadeh

Letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kelly and CIS Acting Director McAment protesting the decision to deny political asylum to Syrian opposition activist Radwan Ziadeh.

June 29, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Lawfare Project lawsuit

Letter to San Francisco State University President Wong and California State University Chancellor White regarding the Lawfare Project's lawsuit.

June 23, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Suspension of Professor Mona Prince

Letter to Suez University President and Egyptian Minister of Higher Education concerning the suspension of Professor Mona Prince of Suez University for allegedly "inciting arguments and problems in the university" through “controversial” class assignments and discussions.

June 20, 2017
Committee on Academic Freedom

Deportation of foreign students and staff at Fethullah Gulen universities

Letter to PM Yıldırım and President Erdoğan concerning the deportation of foreign students and staff in closed Fethullah Gulen universities.

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